Former Argentine President De la Rúa passed away due to cardiac and other health complications, reported Telam state news agency.

New Delhi: Former Argentine president Fernando de la Rua has died. He was 81, reported news agency AFP quoting President of Argentina Mauricio Macri.

The former President had attracted voters as he was considered an honest statesman. However, he had left the country in its worst economic crisis. The news of his death has been officially confirmed by the Argentine government. Fernando De la Rúa is survived by his wife Inés Pertiné and his three sons namely Antonio, Fernando and Agustina.

Meanwhile, President Mauricio Macri expressed his condolences in a tweet on Tuesday which said, “His democratic trajectory deserves the recognition of all Argentines.”

According to Telam state news agency, De la Rúa died of cardiac and other health complications. The former Argentine president served from 1999 to December 2001. During his presidential term, Argentina had plunged into a crisis which caused violent riots across the country.

De la Rúa is infamously known for escaping the violent protests with the aid of a helicopter from the rooftop of the pink presidential palace. The protests erupted against his handling of the crisis. Notably, the riots claimed the lives of dozens of people across Argentina.